Matthew 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

1st Corinthians 1:18-27 “. . . the foolishness of God is wiser than men” [Now, there’s perspective.]

[Mennonites say men should wear beards: Baptists say men should be clean shaven.]

QUESTION: (Somebody says, “Tom, what’s your opinion?”)

MY ANSWER: “. . . not to think of men above that which is written. . . .” – 1st Corinthians 4:1-6 (v. 6)

(See: Luke 10:25-37 “[Jesus] said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?”)

Leviticus 19:27 “Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.”

(The same God, to the same people, said, “Every man child among you shall be circumcised.” — Genesis 17:10)

(And then later said, “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing. . . .” – 1st Corinthians 7:18-20)

(Something has changed here. What was once an important symbol of something greater to come is now gone.)

QUESTION: So what does this have to do with your beard?

ANSWER: Romans 2 (vs. 28-29) “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly. . . .” (Read the chapter.)

QUESTION: “Tom, what about globes, are they graven images? Is it alright to have a globe in the house?”

(We’re getting into grey areas here, or the question wouldn’t want to be asked.)

(Are you asking me if I would have a globe?)

ANSWER: 1st Corinthians 10:23-30 “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. . . .”

QUESTION: So what does this have to do with globes?

ANSWER: Are you asking me if I would have a globe, or if somebody else should have one?

(Because the right answer would depend on the knowledge possessed by that somebody else:)

“. . . to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” — James 4:17

QUESTION: “Tom, do you think the women should wear pants to fellowship?”

ANSWER: No! (Hey, you asked me what I think!)

(See: Deuteronomy 22:5 “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God .”)

QUESTION: “Tom, do you think the women should wear short dresses to fellowship?”

ANSWER: No!

QUESTION: “Well, how short is too short?”

ANSWER: Why would anyone filled with the Spirit of a holy and righteous God want to find out?

Matthew 19:16-22 “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor. . . .”

Luke 6:40 “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.”

John 17:14-23 “. . . that they may be made perfect in one. . . .”

1st Corinthians 1:10 “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

QUESTION: “Tom, what do you think about women wearing jewelry?”

ANSWER: Does anybody care what I think about wearing jewelry? Does it matter what I think?

Do we build our doctrines on what I think. Should we?

(See: 1st Peter 3:3-6 “. . . let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold. . . .”

(See: 2nd Corinthians 7:1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Colossians 1:28 “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. . . .”

Colossians 3:14 “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”

2nd Corinthians 13:11 “Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”